


Bitter Coffee & Cold Feet

by Dust (sugoi)



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cliche, Drama, Drama & Romance, Established Relationship, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Multi, Randomness, Single Parents, Tea
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:54:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27948650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugoi/pseuds/Dust
Summary: A little self Indulgent story that centers around the meeting and eventual blossoming romance between a rich single father and an unwilling barista struggling through the ordeals of daily life , while learning to open up and depend on those around them and ultimately each other.
Relationships: Felwinter/Shaxx (Destiny), Osiris/Saint-14 (Destiny)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 19





	1. Displaced

**Author's Note:**

> Deep Stone lullaby lets gooo!
> 
> I wanted single dad Felwinter and barista Shaxx  
> Where Elsie, saint or osiris came from i have no clue.
> 
> Mostly just a self indulgent drabble fest dont mind me haaah haaah! Ill update here and there.

Light sneaks it's way in from half closed shutters, peeking bars of golden light glinting off the his metal fingers and warming the countless wires and nodes beneath his chassis, the insistent sound of a child's crying shatters the spell of peace, rousing the Exo from his lucid sleep, urging him to drag his exhausted body from the warm sheets, the limbs too defiant to stay within the cover's warmth are cold and numb, at least those too unfortunate to be caught in the fleeting bars of light.

The cries sounded again, and like a siren's call it urges his tired body into motion and he moves to stand despite its protests.

"Damn it!"

He hissed, the lights within his mouth flaring bright in alarm as his feet touched the frigid marble floor absorbing the cold's bite, he's reluctant to touch it again, but he hates to keep Spring waiting more, so Felwinter sacrifices one foot to do the dirty work, hopping on one until he reached the safety of his door, quickly he clung to the unfairly cold knob, just barely saving himself from stumbling.

Outside the small bedroom the hallway was donned in expensive mahal carpet, courtesy of his father and creator, and while Felwinter preferred the feeling of reasonably priced linoleum he was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, if Rasputin wanted to flex his bigwig assets and dicorational skills who was he to stop the warmind? At least the carpet was warmer than the unforgiving floor.

He'd have to make a mental note to have Timur bring the rest of the packed boxes with Spring's slippers in them down this weekend, the cold was settling in, and neither he nor Spring had acclimated well within the first week into their new flat.

Quickly he descended down the hall, stopping a moment to tap in the security code, on a small box hidden behind a panel, disarming the many leering security cameras scattered throughout the home, he hated being watched all the time but Rasputin would not budge on his strict safety protocols, he had to talked to Ana about it and they managed to meet at a compromise with the stubborn warmind, he could disarm them in the waking hours as he pleased, but after sunset Rasputin's demands took precedents.

He also turned up the thermostat to chase away the chill that settled in overnight, it was ridiculous how cold Europa's weather was!

"A paradise they said.." The tired Exo sniffed to himself bitterly, thinking back to the traveler's review hub filled with nine engram ratings for the planet's exceptional real estate and weather, all he's seen are snowstorms and blizzards! 

He scoured it thoroughly before relocating to the foreign planet, but there was no illusion about it, nor he or Spring had much choice in the matter because "safety precautions" came first, it was a quick fix to a much larger issue, but he wasn't going to even start trying to deliberate the complex politics that held govern over Warmind and Bray enterprise this early in the morning...he needed his coffee first.

He can hear Spring's cooing long before he even approached the door to the small infant's room, he lightly knocked first before opening the door despite the child's inability to grant him entry, simply because the manners ingrained in his artificial skull dictated that any living being deserved respect, even if they could not request it.

"Hey sweety, up early I see" Spring lit up cooing eagerly up at him as he entered the room to greet the child who replied in excited but intelligible gibberish.

She was holding onto the crib's banister, balancing on her own two stubby legs, a sight that made the Exo beam with maternal pride, she had been standing more frequently, her small legs becoming more and more used to balancing every day. 

"Look at you, you're growing so fast!" 

Felwinter whispered wistfully, He was as proud as any parent, even if she was not truly his kid, he was still her caretaker and she was flourishing under his care it was far beyond his expectations, Ana had congratulated him repeatedly, she told him he would make a great father even if he didn't feel like one.

Rasputin suggested putting a cage over the child's crib to stop her from escaping unsupervised, although he knew the suggestion sounded harsh, it brewed from concern that met the disconnect of proper empathy, Felwinter appreciated it non the less,Though still it was a suggestion to which both he and Ana shot down immediately...he never doubted his parenting skills were superior then his creator's..

Gently he plucked the small child up, she was growing heavier with each day, balancing her on his hip and he grabbed her day clothes and a fresh diaper, and after a moments considerations he pulled a thick fur sweater from her closet and added it to his collection, he allowed her tiny eager hands to examine the metal work of his face, he placed a small kiss on the child's head before setting to work on getting her ready for the day.

Generally Spring was a good kid, bright, playful and intelligent as any infant her age could be, but with the good came the bad, luckily she didn't have many bad traits...but the ones she did, wholly evened the scale, the child was hyperactive, she would wake and cry at all times of day and unforgiving nights, she was also a notoriously picky eater.

Felwinter finds himself, stuck at the breakfast table, forgotten tie loosely hanging from his neck, trying to coax Spring into eating her banana baby food, it had become a real problem. One day she loved one type of food only to hate it's existence within the next twenty-four hours.

He was forever guilty but grateful that Elsie would be taking her for the next week, as much as he grown to love the child, between work and parenting the poor Exo was starting to become worse for wear, he was beyond exhausted, and sleep wasn't a luxury he was afforded often, eventually he couldn't find it in himself to deny her insistent offers any more, this was in all honesty supposed to be a learning curb for all of them.

But no one challenged him when he took to the child and surprisingly Rasputin did not rebuke his appeal to take her from the lab to stay with him on earth.

It wasn't that he didn't know that Elsie would take good care of her, she was head of the military, and one of the most caring women he knew, but he just liked to keep Spring as close as possible, parental attachment Ana joked, she warned him there would eventually be a time when she would have to go to school, and he wouldn't be the only one she would be dependent on anymore, it wasn't a conversation he liked, not at all so he thoroughly swept it from his memory banks.

Baby steps. Felwinter Baby steps.

The security utters a small docile ping just as Spring finally decides she's hungry enough to eat, and through the hardlinked core in his brain a notification pops up, announcing Elsie's arrival.

Reluctant to miss the window of opportunity in the child's complacency, Felwinter manages to feed Spring three more spoon fulls before he relents, turning to head out into the halls to disable various security wards, Elsie has a key all the Brays do, all except for Clovis himself but Felwinter meets her at the door anyway. 

Not even Elsie is spared from Eroupa's fury, she rushes in, adorned in icy snowflakes, swiftly melting frost glittering on the white fur of her dark teal hood, the greedy wind blowing in behind her, "Good morning Elsie, weathers charming out here isn't it..?"

Felwinter greets her snarkily, all the while eyeing the quickly melting snow, stubbornly clinging to her frame, quickly he steers the other exo into the warmer rooms of the flat, where the heat thankfully permeated last night's chill, anything to get some warmth into her chassis.

"Felwinter I take it you've already been introduced with our humble weather here on Europa, I trust you're settling in smoothly?" Elsie laughs as she shimmies off her thick jacket, it's a breathy sound coming from an artificial modulator but it sounds no less beautiful.

He helps her disrobe but honestly Felwinter finds his mind preoccupied for a spell, eyes instinctively searching for her interesting companion "fish", she told him its name once but coyly excluded a explanation to its purpose and origins, even so the nickname "Fish" was popular among their work associates, eventually Elsie herself had warmed up to the pet name.. So naturally it stuck.

"They're not here" Elsie said cerulean optics alight with knowing mirth, "But you, how are you and Spring coping..?" She asked her demeanor soberly giving way to the worry that was buried beneath.

Felwinter understood her worry, things were happening so fast, evidence of sabotage within the ranks and a failed assassination of Ana's wife, the untraceable attempts to breach the DSC files, he wasn't surprised the when Rasputin yanked their invisible chains taunt.

"We're all doing the best we can, it's..hard but I don't doubt our ability to adapt, Europa...It's cold but nothing like old russia, we'll survive, just like we always have"

He chose a reply close enough to the truth, but brave enough she wouldn't pity him, he didn't need to tell her how scared he was for Springs safety, how obediently he complied when Resputin demanded he and Spring drop everything in their old lives to relocate to Eventide ruin, on a foreign planet he was only remotely familiar with. 

But Felwinter was willing to sacrifice comfort for safety, not only his but Spring's as well, paranoia had been eating the Exo alive, it felt as if he either had to keep his back against a wall or use it to shield his child, who would by no doubt be excused from the petty cruelty of corrupt companies at war.

Elsie suddenly pulls him into comforting hug, her metal cheek is still cold against his face plate but her core is just as warm as his, he doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms her smaller frame and return the tight embrace, much to Felwinter's surprise when Elsie pulls away, she does so smoothly sliding a large package in her place.

"Saint reported you've been wandering into his shop dressed like a tourist who's spent half their life on mars..." Elsie elaborates abiet reprimanding heavy in her words, when he looked to her for clarification.

"What?..I do not. At least..." Felwinter's faceplates knit together, subconsciously giving himself a quick once over, sure he had been a bit preoccupied situating accommodations for Spring, he told himself he'd pick out a warmer wardrobe when he had the time, but his current state of his dress wasn't that... bad.

He... had been relying heavily on his work robes, which admittedly were not very thick themselves.

"Trust me, he spent enough time dragging Osiris away from that sand blasted rock, I'll trust his words on this...well come on, don't keep me waiting, open it!" Else pressed excitedly, ignoring his weak attempt to debuff her accusations against his person.

Wanting the whole conversation to be over with, Felwinter stepped back and examined the package in his hands, it was a pretty thing, wrapped in gambit chrome wrapping, it would have looked like a gift box if not for the lack of a fancy bow, truly it was an impressive box, Felwinter felt almost bad tearing it apart, the box below dark and stiff, he plucked the thin tape away carefully before removing the lid altogether.

Inside, he found a sleek black coat, its cuffs and collar adorned with thick swathes of pale fur, elegant symbols of martian dialect embroidered it's chest, three black leather fastening belts hung from the waist of each side, it was beautiful,it no doubt costing nothing less than a fortune.

" It's gorgeous..but-" Felwinter started before Elsie cut him off.

"Don't! I didn't use my glimmer for it, Rasputin demanded I make sure your well equipped for Eroupa, he didn't attach a price tag so its on the company, and if my assumption is correct, when you used the company's glimmer fund for Spring's thermal wear, it never occured to you that perhaps you should have considered picking out jacket for yourself"

"...You assumed correct.. Thank you"  
Felwinter sighed, he can feel his fans whirring louder as embarrassment starts creeping up his neck plates, was he that transparent that even the warmind could predict his follies..?

Elsie smiled up at him, her eyes sharp in that quiet knowing way that led him to believe she could scan his thoughts with the blink of an optic, but the smile that graced her faceplates was sincere as always.

"Anytime, you can always rely on us Felwinter...I hope you understand that... Now where is my little Spring? Ana told me she's started standing on her own!"

On cue, Spring's excited babbling arose from within the child's room, Felwinter felt a smile grace his faceplates as Elsie laughed in delight, but hesitated thoughtfully, halfway to the child's room before turning to address Felwinter

"Oh! Osiris requested you to stop by the shop on your way to the archives, he says he managed to dredge up some interesting data from those tampered security logs you recovered"

"Well do"  
Felwinter nodded as he followed her into Spring's room, He could really use some coffee anyways.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to be making this bet with me...of all people Shaxx?" 

That stupid, cocky, egg plant of an Exo's deviously coy voice haunted the titan from the moment he left the tavern with a bruised ego, all along the empty snow covered roads and all the way to his shared apartment, he slammed the door behind him with much more rigor then really nessecery, not caring if Ikora or Zavala yelled at him come dawn for causing a disturbance to their neighbors.

He'd be out nice and unreasonably early in the morning anyway, so no loss there.  
Shaxx grumbled to himself recalling how the night had played out, Saint's condescending words replayed in his mind over and over.

"We usually get up around four to start setting up shop, but I'm sure that'll be quite an ill challenge for someone as new as you, how about six eh?"

Ugh of course he lost, he should have known better and never accepted a bet from that damn pigeon feeder, he had never won one against the sly sadist of an Exo, what makes it worse was that he knew all along it was a trap! but the fucker picked at his pride knowing full well he wouldn't back down, Foolish Foolish!

"Ugh Fuck me.." Shaxx runs a scarred hand through his hair, as he goes to rummage through his drawers for a pair of presentable dress pants.

"That fucker better have an extra apron!"


	2. Coffee Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Saint informed us that you've been betting with him again..." Shaxx didn't have to look at the man to feel his disapproving stare it was clear in his stern voice "And that you lost... again.." Zavala's emphases on the last word was not lost on him, Shaxx waited to answer until after he was seated at the table

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing really interesting, just some rambling. Merry Christmas. In short Forecast for Eroupa is always unreasonable.

**_Shaxx_ **

Waking up early isn't nearly as hard as Shaxx initially thought it would be, he just simply forewent sleeping altogether!  Eager to prove Saint's obnoxious assessment wrong he would come in at three am! When dawn came and the morning chill roused him from his reading, he felt no dead weight in his bones, no lingering drowsiness, just determination, determination to prove Saint-14 wrong!

To his surprise Shaxx doesn't infact rise to a berating from his roomates, only the jarring sound of his own scream of surprise as his naked toes touched the freezing cold tiles of the floor, he definitely needed to talk to Zavala about installing a better heating system, only half the apartment heated up at a time, which was utterly ridiculous. 

With a disgruntled sigh he quickly leans over the bed, reaching a scar marred arm under it's frame until his fingers found and snared a suitable pair of slippers, thick and filled soft brown fur- a late gift from his friend in the Dreaming City, after a quick hot shower Shaxx heads down to the second level, following the telltale signs of activity echoing from the kitchen, on his way down the titan diligently checks each and every window for breaches, seeking stay drafts of leaking air or any unseen cracks in the glass, anything that would let the cold seep in more than absolutely necessary when the weather proceeded deeper into the winter, and just as he suspected, there was a small traitorous gap between the metal frame and the wall of one of the windows, cold hair sneaking in and stealing their precious warmth, it would need to be fixed and soon.

"Shouldn't be too hard.." He mumbled to himself as he assessed the small gap, he still had tons of liquid polymer he had been using for the local restoration projects, a little should do the trick.

The kitchen was much warmer than the rest of the apartment, the blinds were lifted allowing shallow beams of light to shine in, outside the snow was still heavy much like the previous night but at least it was brighter out, the fog had cleared up considerably, he would not have to fear driving his sparrow off one of Eroupa's spontaneous tranches again like many of his fellow neighbors.

There were eggs in the frying pan but Shaxx had already decided he would not linger long enough for them to finish, he would need to leave early if he wanted to beat his new employers to their own establishment, both his roommates were awake early and already dressed for the day.

Zavala and Ikora both nodded to him in greeting when he emerged, the scent of aftershave and mulberry body wash mingled pleasantly with fried eggs, to his surprise Zavala had found and cleaned his lucky thermos, and thoughtfully filled it with black Appalachian roast coffee, the man in question was watching him expectantly, immediately shaxx knew he was not awaiting gratuity for his efforts.

He could feel the awoken's blue gaze piercing through his helmet from where he leaned back against counter with spatula in hand, while Ikora read over a data pad with a glass of orange juice in hand, feigning disinterest, Shaxx knew what was coming before the awoken male's lips opened.

"Saint informed us that you've been betting with him again..." Shaxx didn't have to look at the man to feel his disapproving stare it was clear in his stern voice "And that you lost... again.." Zavala's emphases on the last word was not lost on him, Shaxx waited to answer until after he was seated at the table, Without prompt Ikora amancibly slides a plate of ginger and apple scones towards him, most of which were shaped perfectly, those that were not were no doubt sad attempts from both titan's efforts at following her cooking directions.

He's hardly hungry this early but thanks her nonetheless "Yes, I did and that sly scoundrel roped me into working at his little tea shop, for the next six months!" He grumbled more frustrated at himself then the fact that the Exo was bragging about it to his roommates.

"It would serve as a lesson for you to contemplate in the future, have you learned nothing from your last bet?"  Zavala chided, the awoken male still wouldn't let him live that down..

"I relive the humility every day I choose to visit the social hubs..And I still won't let that scare me into backing down, I will out wit him..eventually" Shaxx announced optimistically ignoring Zavala's unimpressed stare.

"A few hours shouldn't interrupt your restoration efforts, Will they be paying you?" Ikora asked curiously, having given up on acting indifferent to the subject as Zavala set a steaming mug of chai tea down in front of the female warlock.

"Yes, five-thousand glimmer every odd hour.." Shaxx admitted reluctantly, he'd rather they not paid him at all but his friend insisted, explaining that Osiris would not tolerate his presence behind the counter otherwise. Ikora's eyebrows rose involuntarily and Zavala made a painful sound, as if the man had just accidentally inhaled his black coffee, whatever he had done was obscured from the titan's view but the sadly disguised snort that followed confirmed his suspensions.  Ikora sighed, her shock giving way to wariness as she rubbed at her temples ``That's..grossly overpaid for a nine to five.. Are you sure that's what they told you..?" 

"YES! I even pointed out how obscene it was! Saint just said he didn't handle the salaries and that the matter wasn't something Osiris would budge on, something about egos and nonsense" he must have said something that confirmed the warlock's fears because the moment the words were out of his mouth Ikora began to shake her head before she admitted with a sigh.

"..It's Osiris's doing, he still acts like he's paying guardians bounties on mercury...Oh, thank you" Ikora murmurs, shaking her head wryly as Zavala refiled her stone mug with more warm tea, the awoken silently nodded before returning to his post by the frying pan "I..tried to help acclimate him to society but..He's-he hardly knows what he's doing, and he's too stubborn to listen to reason, or ask for help, not even from Saint.." 

Shaxx tilted his helmet worriedly as Ikora visibly deflated, frustratedly eyeing the depths of her tea, his eyes drifting to Zavala for aid, the awoken had turned his attention from the frying pan and regarded them both with sharp and thoughtful eyes, but Shaxx found the awoken didn't need prompting to launch himself into balming the situation with a logical solution. 

"Let him have his pride it harms no one, if they couldn't afford it I'm certain Saint-14 would have put his foot down, we cannot expect a lifestyle learned over a lifetime to diminish within sparse months..I'm sure Shaxx will take good care of your mentor and make every pound of paid glimmer count, we can expect that of you, right Shaxx?"

"Of Course! My talents may have lied in combat but don't doubt my prowess in the kitchen!" Shaxx confirmed, bringing his fist to his chest, noting Zavala's question was not a question at all but a demand.  But much to his confusion, his bravado was met with silence as both his roommates eyed the distorted scones on the table, faces blank and masked.

"Aw come on that was my first attempt!" Shaxx yelled, and it was..sure it looked a little half deflated but Zavala's scones were not far from that state either! "I'm sure you'll do great" Ikora mused, the warlock's lips quirked ever so slightly, while Zavala suspiciously remembered he was to be tending to the frying pan.  "God, you two are insufferable..But yes with practice, I know I will, Zavala save my plate will you? I need to leave early!"

"Yes, but it's only three...?" It was Zavala's turn to quirk his brow, as he eyed the clock then drew his eyes back to his titan friend with obvious confusion.

"Well yes, but I want to get there first! So I need to leave early! Right, that reminds me when you have time, would you call about the heating system adjustments? There's a draft and only half the apartment's getting actual heat, I'll seal it but the heat still needs adjustments" The titan called over his shoulder as he fastened his scarf before stepping out into the cold.

* * *

Outside the weather was almost as bold as the night before, but what should he have expected? not many hours have passed, still Europa's second sun has arisen, it's beams of fiery blue light bounces off the snowy peaks illuminating the scarlet bacteria and radiation trapped beneath the layers of thick ice,  The sight is no doubt beautiful and any other day Shaxx would take the time to ponder this over a mug of warm ale but definitely another day. Today he's on a mission and not even nature's beauty will dissuade him.

Shaxx briskly hurried into their shared garage, internally thanking his past self for placing salt down the previous night, and clearing the snow from the top of the rotating doors, inside his sparrow sat stationary awaiting its next ride, it's metal ridges still frosted from the night's chill, luckily the elements hadn't affected the interior too severely, the seat of his sparrow was just tolerable, freezing cold but not enough so that he wouldn't park his ass on it to get where he had to go.

Backing out Shaxx counted himself lucky that one of Eroupa's notorious blizzards hadn't rolled in just yet, it occurred quite commonly with little to no warnings, sometimes the fog was often so dense residence were forced to walk their sparrows to their intended destinations or wait out the storm, many less fortunate sparrows littered the crevices and cliff drops of Eroupa, abandoned or awaiting retrieval. All victims of the planet's fickle weather.

The ride through the Eventide ruin's city district was a quiet and lonely one, but that wasn't to say the town itself wasn't breathtakingly beautiful, the late hour meant most of Europa's populous were just beginning to rouse from their slumber, the snow covered streets were still mostly empty, save for a few tireless guardians patrolling their routes.

Buildings were donned in bright lights of many colours, dawning was fast approaching and with it came the city's thirst for festivities, fiery cauldrons were situated at every corner for people to warm their chilled bones courtesy of the warlocks, the scent of oven baked goods and sweet apple spice still lingered heavy in the crisp early morning air, the only evidence of the mass bake off that was held in the town square the previous morning, where patrons cooked as if it was a fight to the death.

It looked like a dream, flashy gold and silver lace weaved around every lamppost, blue and gold bows tied to every bench, the trees decorated with silvery ornaments, colourful lights bounced off Shaxx's Sparrow as he pulled up to the storefront of the Vzdokhnut.

It was a quaint little cafe, large enough to accommodate the other more exotic races and their pack mentality but still small enough to please drifters looking to escape the elements for some time, he could clearly see the lavender accendotes streaming from the ceiling, half melted candles strewn neatly throughout the establishment creating a warm glow over the haphazardly placed books left for the bookworms that found their way into the cafe, he couldn't deny that the men's tastes melded well together.

The smell of brewing coffee and freshly baked tarts filled his nostrils as he parked his sparrow and noticed, oddly enough the lights were already on, the shudders drawn back to allow the sparse light in.

Shaxx's brows pinched in confusion, checking his watch, just to confirm he wasn't somehow late, the clock read back 3:30am, which meant no sense, why would they would be open...unless-

The devil arrived earlier..! 

* * *

**_Saint_ **

"SAINT!"

Shaxx's booming voice shattered, calm spell that hung heavy with the early morning daze, luckily Saint had seen the eager titan pull in hours before his shift and had ample time to prepare for his very much Shaxx-like flavor of entrances, he couldn't however say the same for some of his poor customers, a carrier dreg nearly dropped her coffee, only managing to save face by the luxury of secondary arms and Osiris's insistence that all hot drinks be capped with spill proof toppers. Even the small squad of guardians were stunned into silence, biscuits hanging comically in their stationery mouths.

" You!" Shaxx stormed light snow frosting his scarf and clinging to his helmet, he took a courteous second to drag his boots on the mat before he hurriedly beelined over to the Exo, oblivious to the eyes trailing him. Saint quickly unlatched the folding door to allow his friend behind the counter but immediately silenced him before he broke into a loud tirade with a hand to his arm and a single to his metal lips.

"Shaxx my friend You are loud like cornered cat, why are you here so early, sun has hardly risen?" Saint chided lightly, then asked watching as his customers started to settle back into their own suits.

"I could ask you the same, if I recall correctly 'You' told me the shop opened at five am, and as we can both see it's hardly five" Shaxx's tone dripped with suspicion as he crossed his arms awaiting his answer, " You two wernt fighting again were you..?" The titan added in a quieter tone, concern evident in his voice but Saint just laughed softly, gesturing for the titan to follow him into the back where they could talk more freely in the employee quarters.

"No no none of that..Today we start the Dawning festival hours, normally we stay open all night for the next fortnight... ah, but Osiris will come in late today, so I came myself to get ahead of rush..now you my friend, did you come early to impress eh?" Saint admitted then crossed his arms as he waited for the explanation to the titan's obnoxiously early arrival.

"I did. The early bird always gets the worm, so I came in early. seems lucky I did so, your hands look full..I've seen the worst of the holiday season..and I work here now, if you needed help you needn't hesitate to call me next time" Shaxx announced frankly, while he shimmied out of his thick jacket, but Saint just shook his head as he rummaged through one of the drawers, seeking a extra apron that would fit his friend.

"You don't say..but you can't just come in early, work...it doesn't work like that Shaxx..." Saint supplied weakly, despite his reluctance he could really use the extra hands, he and Crow had been run thin as of late, Osiris's mandatory absences left a void of unfinished work, and as much as they tried to shoulder the slack, his husband's apprentice was a far cry from a ideal barista not even in his best efforts...but the idea of burdening his friend past their deal left a unsavory taste on his synthetic tongue.  But Shaxx dismissed his uncertainty with a light snort, snagging the first apron the Exo salvaged from the spare drawer before resting a heavy hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Conventionally speaking no it doesn't, but as a friend it'll work just fine, I'm here now and you won't be rid of me until the end of the business day, now are you going to tell me how to brew a proper Russian tea or not?"  His old friend asked Tying the apron around his waist, it was beige embroidered with the text 'Take my advice, I'm not using it', The apron fit tad bit tight but was still presentable.

The sound of jingling bell could be heard as another curious patron found solace within Vzdokhnut's walls...

"You realize that, it is not really Russian eh?, but uh we should have some orange concentrate around here somewhere.."

  
  


**_Felwinter_ **

Felwinter lingered by the window, staring out as the snow began to fall in earnest, the car had long left, Elsie and Spring along with it, he would not see his child again until the end of the week, the chill seeping through the window frame bit at his fingers pressed against it.

Worry though unfounded still tugged at his eternal wiring, and maybe some other emotions too, a helpful ping from Rasputin pulled him from his moping, reminding the warlock that he had things to do, and would be running late to his errands if he continued to linger so and more importantly the doors had been left unlocked for approximately 732.4 Seconds after Elsie and Spring's departure.  Slowly he straightened his robe out, forgoing the tie altogether in favor of the soft woolen scarf Elsie strategically forgot, only to inform him seconds after her leave that he should keep the deliberately planted garment.

The flat seemed so still and empty, much too quiet now that his little light was gone for the time being, the colour had drained out of the place and despite how exhausted the Exo was he found himself eagerly counting the seconds until his child would return to him,  Part of him wanted to crawl back into bed, sleep away the hours and the dark unwanted emotions, but he didn't have the luxury at the time, so instead he slowly pulled on the new coat, inwardly cringing at the obscene price tag still attached to it's inner lining, but immediately appreciating the quality of the fabric.

Elsie's scolding words echoed over his thoughts as he considered the thin leather boots he packed to Eroupa, he would have to use these to try to combat the quickly accumulating snow, a venture that now that there was no time to reconsider things seemed rather obscene to even him.  He would need a new pair, especially after today, the salt alone would no doubt destroy them, but for now they would have to do until he could make time to go shopping or even figure out where to go shopping...

He would need to meet with his old apprentice after the archives, Osiris seldom requests his or anyone's presence often, it was no doubt important, Yet.. the day wasn't so demanding, he had about an hour to spare which meant he could stop by the Vzdokhnut early for some coffee, Osiris would no doubt still be busy then, but the promise of a warm cup of coffee was promising enough for the extra trip and Saint still owed him that free cup he promised.

Felwinter desperately needed something warm to infuse life back into his cold synthetic joints, something to chase away the hollow void threatening to tear him apart.

Maybe he was being dramatic...

Probably.

* * *

Eroupa's weather was miserable, Felwinter had to repeatedly blink errant snowflakes from his optics, the streets were cramped and claustrophobic, cluttered with busy people all desperate to get to their destinations and escape the snow as well, his boots had quickly become soaked with the annoying frosty slosh, he had to turn off his temperature sensors to dampen the discomforting sensation, t o make matters worse, an unexpected fog manifested from seemingly nowhere! One moment it was snowing, the next Felwinter couldn't see the buildings in front of him, and this turn of events wouldn't be unfortunate enough unless the Exo became lost for the next hour as well...

When he finally did locate the damn coffee shop the fog had almost become as thick as a White sheet, Felwinter couldn't see more than five feet in front of him, only the glow of festive lights lining the driveways and Sparrow's hazard lights kept him in the designated riding zone.

Vzdokhnut was a sight for sore eyes, the smell of warm cinnamon and burnt coffee was more welcoming than appetizing, it wasn't a second pass the engine halting that the Exo bee-lined for the safety of the cafe doors, soaked boots squelching each step of the way, only stopping briefly to shoot a distasteful glare at the fog heavily cloaking the streets before letting the doors fall shut behind him.

It didn't look like it would leave any time soon, but as long as it was there travel was impossible, which meant Felwinter was stranded there, the archives were definitely out of the question now.


	3. Can I Buy You A Drink?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inwhich Felwinter gets bought a drink.  
> And every body tries to do their respective jobs right..everyone except Saint.
> 
> And nothing could possibly go wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is literally a self indulgent dumpster fire and i don't care.
> 
> The dialog of the game made me sad so, have some angsty warlock getting his feathers ruffled.
> 
> And edgy Felwinter trying to keep his table population 1.

**_Shaxx_ **

The titan sighed in stilted disappointment as he eyed the slightly burnt pastries cooling behind the desk, Saint while congratulating the titan on his progress also admitted the tarts were unfit for sale, he was getting better, cooking wasn't that hard, he just simply needed to try harder next time.

"They're not that bad, should have seen what happened when Saint had me bake the Ioian style muffins" Crow his new fellow employee supplied helpfully, as the awoken male tended to a sink full of used dishes.

"Ah, so you were the culprit behind Vzdokhnut's first fire, tell me, was it as mild as Saint made it out to be... or did you set the place ablaze?"  
The titan inquired mischievously as he sipped zesty lemon and ginger tea he still hadn't quite mastered the skill of brewing just yet.

The awoken's shoulders stiffened at the word fire, and immediately Shaxx knew his suspicions had been correct. "Yes...it was uh bad, really bad" Crow admitted, his face darkening with embarrassment. "We had to close the place down three weeks for repairs, Osiris said it wasn't an issue, that we needed renovations anyway, but I doubt it was something they planned this early into the year, we had to get a new oven too, since the other was wrecked beyond repair, Saint suggested I'm better off away from anything that can combust.." 

Shaxx grunted sympathetically at the awoken's guilty admission. "Well at least no one was harmed, it's what matters most, wood and furnishing can always be replaced, people cannot." he tried to sooth, hoping he was right, but also trusting that the solar warlock would have made short work of the flames.

"Yes, it didn't spread far after the explosion" Crow turned off the faucet, turning to toss a cream and gold embroidered drying cloth to the titan, together the two dried dishes, their conversation falling into a comfortable silence, as the cafe's music lulled on.

The sound of the door chimes rang, as another unfortunate soul caught in the white out hurried in, however the store front counter was empty, no one was there to take the customer's order! Where was Saint?, Shaxx recalled seeing the Exo fussing over Osiris, ushering his husband somewhere into the back room seconds after the warlock rushed in, feathery jacket dusted with snow.

Neither of the two had reemerged yet, which left desk duty up to either him, or Crow "Crow, do we have a slogan or something?" the titan asked to which awoken male who simply shrugged back nervously "I don't use one, but I must admit I often leave the hospitality up to Saint or Osiris..I'm not really good with people"

Shaxx wasn't the least bit shy...well not when it came to leading, he had lived his life shouting orders, receiving a customer's order shouldn't have been too hard for the man in the event his fellow employee fell short, but it was still his first day and he had yet to even memorize the cafe's menu! 

Both males eyed the front desk curiously, Shaxx mentally preparing to take charge and wing the whole transaction, answer now ask questions later, and Crow looking as if he planned to dive for cover the moment the customer arrived, they waited for the visitor to step up to it, yet as seconds ticked by, nobody approached the counter, Shaxx found his helmet tipping curiously.

"Maybe they're still browsing the menu" supplied Crow, as he dried his hands on the drying cloth before setting it aside to slowly move to the curtains hanging in the doorway separating the store front from the employees only section before slipping out for a breath before returning seconds later.

"Hm, well seems like they've made themselves at home in the corner of the dining area, maybe they just need time to thaw out for a bit, looks like the fogs rolled in with a fury" the awoken male murmurs as he turns to spy concealed by the curtains.

"Come help me finish drying, let them thaw, hopefully they'll gather their wits about them by the time we're done" Crow nodded, as he returned to his side "So, since Saint banned you from the cooking equipment... what are your duties here anyways?"  
  


* * *

_**Felwinter** _

Safely inside the snow dusted warlock quickly located the least populated table at the far end of the cafe and made for it, pointedly ignoring the obnoxious squelching of his soaked boots insisted on making with even the subtlest of movements.

The establishment was pungent in the scents of freshly baked cinnamon rolls and peach fritters coupled with freshly baked coffee beans, the siren call of a hot ristretto was strong, but the sight of an unfamiliar awoken male lingering behind an empty counter warded Felwinter to his seat, the Exo did not feel sociable in the least, he would wait until Osiris came with a data he was to pick up.

He had seen the flighty warlock's sparrow parked neatly in front of the establishment, he only noticed it because the warlock's modest vehicles lied almost hidden, dwarfed beside a large bulky sparrow, equipped with the most obnoxiously gaudy looking orange and white shader the Exo had ever seen.

He shouldn't have been surprised, not with everything the Exo had witnessed within this short span of time on the downright insufferable planet, so he simply checked it off on the ever growing list of peculiar things he'd find on Europa.

When Felwinter finally sat down, it was with a relieved sigh, glad to finally be settled on something flat and still for the first time in two hours, his ass was beyond sore from all the turbulence impact his sparrow suffered traversing the icy unkempt roads of Eventide ruins.

He made a mental note to thank Elsie, she had been right about the coat, when the icy cold tore through his frame despite having turned off his temperature sensors, the coat did indeed help keep his frame safe from the bitter cold, he feared without it the coolant in his joint might have actually frozen, truly insufferable...at least now he was dry and warm n this place...he could have been stranded somewhere worse.

The black oak table was modest, small, but still managing enough room for three other patrons, though, that was something the Exo had no intentions of allowing, a single half spent candle sat timidly in the center beside a small condiments stand, stocked with sugar, cream and thin mixing straws, over head dim strobe lights hung low from the ceiling, their soft glow reflecting off his hands as he pulled his stiff gloves from his cold fingers.

"Damn it..." The Exo huffed taking a moment to briskly flex movement back into his frozen joints , luckily the warm air made quick work of thawing the chill from the cold metal, when he finally begin to relax he removed his helmet, place the ram's skull across from him as he neatly set an elbow against the wooden surface, and leaned his against his palm as he surveyed the coffee shop, there was a small group of guardians huddled by a table much too small for their party, an Eliksni carrier was sipping a no doubt ether filled concoction, some other human civilians lurked about nursing warm drinks, no doubt still defrosting and hiding from the elements much like the Exo himself.

The cafe was quiet, but part of him suspected it was only after his arrival, he easily felt patron's eyes trailing him every step of the way to his little secluded table, and it would be a lie to claim it hadn't stoked the heat of embarrassment smoldering at his nape.

From his vantage point he had conveniently clear view of the cashier counter, to which he could quickly flag Osiris down if need be, he wished he'd arrive soon yet truly he didn't mind waiting, his plans having been dashed in the face of the sudden white out left him with little to do otherwise...

And yet he still felt apprehensive sitting idle, his mind was split between musings of what his darling Spring's reactions to the strobe lights would be, and exactly how he could make himself more useful to Rasputin and the Brays.

When Rasputin had demanded Felwinter and his child's presence on Europa, and initially the Exo had assumed this summon intoned tasks and directives to be tended to and issues to be absolved, but since his arrival the warmind has refused to involve him in little more than surveillance decryption duty, for a highly adept artificial intelligence and most knowledgeable asset outside the warmind himself it was frankly ridiculous!

He would need to talk to the warmind..and soon, but one step at a time, He would decrypt their data if that is what they wished of him, in the long run every bit of effort helped, no matter how minimal..

There's the clatter of sliding chairs, someone clears their throat particularly loud, Felwinter didn't have to move his head to know they were inviting attention onto themselves, he could hear the excited woops and shy chatter erupting at the table full of guardians across the shop.

A single titan peeled away from their table, they had been eyeing the exo with obvious interest, the moment he stumbled into Vzdokhnut on wet squelching boots, Felwinter found his optics narrowing as the guardian attempted to coyly make their way over to his table.

He fixed his optics to the curtains of the vacant cashier's counter, glaring daggers at the maroon drapes, internally praying his past apprentice somehow sensed his presence, and came to spare him from what would no doubt be a distressingly awkward exchange.

Felwinter had to cull the impulse to shrink further back as the titan approached, he had settled in the corner to garner privacy, yet it wasn't even thirty minutes before some extroverted patron was trying to get fresh with him, he had deliberately avoided the flirty leer of the titan since the moment he noticed their helmet facing his way, and felt their optics boldly scanning over him, but his blatant disinterest did little to thwart his new found suitor.

Maybe this was just how people were on Europa, and being openly salacious and overly eager to spawn social circles was considered acceptable by the populous standards, the Exo thought sourly to himself as the guardian-ah! an Exo removed their helmet politely before greeting him.

They were no doubt a warrior, the scars that tattered their chassis told him as much, they looked to have many tales to tell, but the Warlock wasn't interested, nor did it stop him from locking his soaked boot around the leg of the stool across from him, pinning it against the table.

However this did little to thwart the guardians efforts to socialize, because much to Felwinter's indignation the Titan dragged his own stool in tow, boldly pushing the wooden chair aside and obliviously dislodging the Exo's boot from it's leg.

"Can I help you?" Felwinter asked, eyes slightly flaring with agitation, his voice flat as it becomes obvious he won't be escaping this unwelcomed interaction

"The names Gryphon-11!" The Exo greeted in a voice much lighter than what Felwinter expected, " never seen the likes of you in here...you new to town?" The Exo was attempting to make small talk yet, Felwinter felt his optics narrowing at the no doubt younger Exo.

"No, I'm not" he replied shortly, returning his gaze to the datapad in his hand, hoping the guardian would get the silent dismissal, but the sound of the Exo settling into the chair confirmed that this was not so.

"I knew it, my buddy over there didn't believe me, but I notice everybody and you kinda stick out like a sore thumb.."

"Yes, and how can I help you?" 

Felwinter's optics squint as the Exo hesitates seeming to finally catch wind of his table mates rising irritation, hurriedly he continues on quickly, flusteredly aware of how his words sounded "Annnd wow that sounded..rude, don't get me wrong! I meant that in a good way! Not...er bad or anything, You seem er new, I mean you look cold, can I uhh.. Can i buy you a coffee, anything?"

Gryphon-11 stumbled over his words, his confident facade buckling under the scrutiny of the older Exo, Felwinter's sensitive hearing nodes could practically hear snickers from the nearby table arise, it simply fuelled his irritation further, but he swallowed it as he stared back at the guardian who sat frozen like a deer in the headlights awaiting his reply.

It took him a moment to realize he hadn't answered his proposal yet, and while normally he'd immediately say no, he found himself sighing internally as he resigned himself to the fact that he would say yes, if only to spare the stranger's ego from being dragged across the wooden floor boards, There was no harm in indulging a stranger, Felwinter had time to waste, there was still no sign of Osiris and while he'd rather. Have been left alone to his brooding, the stray Exo was harmless and no doubt a peculiar distraction from his ruminate thoughts. 

So Felwinter chooses to indulge the man, his decision is most definitely not swayed by the prospect of coffee free of the obligations of ordering it...no definitely not...well maybe a little.. though Elsie might suspect otherwise but she'd also praise him for being social altogether especially with another Exo..baby steps Felwinter baby steps.

"I'll take a Ristretto" the moment the words left the Exo's mouth Gryphon-11 beamed at him, there was no doubt they were ecstatic, he could practically see the man's system slowly processing endorphins flooding the Exo as he stalked off, much to Felwinter's confusion.

"I'll be right back!" The Exo called over his shoulder as he left for the counter, meanwhile Felwinter considered his chances fending off against the elements if he fled the coffee shop.

* * *

_**Osiris** _

It wasn't a second after Osiris reemerged from the back room that his ears weren't assaulted by Shaxx's yelling and Saints snarky quips, as different as they were the two titans were just that.

Obnoxious and boisterous titans, the older warlock couldn't stop himself from shaking his head at the two as they bickered all throughout the new recruit's training..

At least his voice didn't drown out the preppy li-fo that Sagira had snuck into the playlist again.

* * *

  
_**SHAXX** _

"That man is a TYRANT!" Shaxx accused, looking to the Exo's husband for support only to wonder why he even bothered seconds later.

"And you're a fool for placing bets with that tyrant" Osiris stated dismissively as he began sorting through their remaining tea stocks, he had lingered much longer then he commonly did.

On normal days Saint would have quickly became intolerant of his presence and ushered the fragile man off to their shared home hours ago, that was if he allowed him to work at all that day, it was well known to anyone who knew the couple personally that warlock's health was on the decline, and while respectively it wasn't mentioned, Shaxx could see the strain it had on the couple.

Saint's fear fueled mania constantly led him to try to cage the man like a bird, and Osiris as proud as he was refused to meet the Exo half way, one too many times Shaxx had stumbled into having to mediate between them on their worst of days.

"Saint, make yourself useful, we are out of black spice tea mark it down for restock" Osiris ordered as he hauled spare boxes of dried teas from their storage room.

"That is because you keep drinking it, Sagira tells me it is all you drink at home" Saint accuses fondly, admitting quietly to Shaxx "It is our least favored drink, but we sell out quickly anyways because customers do not drink but bird does. I've marked it already"

"Good..and as for Sagira, she doesn't know what she's talking about" the warlock huffed over his shoulder as he vanished into the storage room.

"It's a good bitter tea, I drink it often at home, but right now I could probably go for something more...spicy" Shaxx mused as he prepared what Saint called a classic Radiolariancino, careful to avoid the concoction's stinging sparks, Saint helpful as ever, moved to adorn the glass with some Nessian lilac petals, supposedly nullifying the drunk's acidic bite.

"Remember only three! two and it will be astringent, it will burn customer, four will curdle the fluid, make it sour, nasty" The Exo explained as both Titans watched the flowers essence turn the white frothy drink neon pink.

"It is a delicate process, can take many tries to get right, now drink" Saint commanded too cheerfully as he leaned back against the counter expectantly, But Shaxx hesitated side eyeing the Exo apprehensively who's impassive face gave nothing away.

"So, how exactly, am i supposed to know if i did it right..?" Staring down at no doubt exotic looking drink did little to calm his nerves, part of him wished Crow was there, the man would at least have tried to give him a warning if it was a trick, instead he was left with Saint and his poker face that would put even that sly bartender to shame.

"Ah, ah...You will know if it is right" Saint explained as he removed a dozen lightly browned bright dusted biscuits from the oven and began applying delicate white chocolate stripes to each.

Shaxx would have reluctantly walked face first into the obvious trap, but his salvation came in the form of his fellow employee Crow's voice as the awoken male poked his head into the kitchen from the storefront.

"Hey Saint, there's a customer waiting to be served, should i-" seeing as Saint was preoccupied with icing the biscuits, Shaxx jumped at the opportunity to abscond the situation.

"No, I will handle it, I need to hone my hospitality skills anyways!" Quickly the titan snagged the exotic looking drink and pushed through the double doors into the store front dragging Crow in tow, happily ignoring Saint as the titan tried to call him back.

"I swear, I feel like I just narrowly dodged a bullet" the Titan muttered under his breathe with a relieved sigh, while setting the bright drink on a serving platter beside the coffee maker thoughtlessly, really he should have just said no to the Exo, but he wasn't sure if it was vital training or he was just being goaded by the devil of a man again.

Beside him Crow rocked on his toes and Shaxx reminded himself to thank the shorter man for saving him if only by coincidence, maybe after their shift was over he would take him out for some Ale, the poor man looked like he needed to loosen up a bit, especially spending so much time in proximity to that cranky warlock Osiris.

Right! Right! The customer! He mentally slapped himself and hurried to the counter, he spotted tall silver Exo in a heavy looking blue jacket leaning against the counter awaiting service patiently, Shaxx straightened out his apron, it still fit a bit tight but he didn't mind, and greeted the customer jovialy.

"Hello! What can I get you this snowy morning!" He beamed at the Exo, who was busy studying the small chalkboard which depicted Vzdokhnut's daily specials, and offered pastries.

When he turned to Shaxx the man visibly perked up, optics expanding in surprise as he stared at the new barista. " Oh! I've never seen you around here before..are you a new employee?" He inquired politely, he must have been a regular there, Shaxx realized, he has seen the man floating about the area with his admittedly large fireteam, they were no doubt a social butterfly, but it didn't know they were regulars here, they didn't look the type to settle for tea and books.

The more you know.

"I'll be helping the establishment out for a stint, yes, but nothing permanent, now how about we get you something hot? See anything to your liking?

* * *

_**Crow** _

Crow watched as Shaxx took the cheerful Exo's order, internally grateful the man had taken lead, to be honest he was somewhat apprehensive when Saint announced the Vzdokhnut would be getting a new employee, especially after he explained the circumstances of their employment..

Yet so far the tall titan seemed to have a good nature about him, hard working and willing to learn, sure he was quite intimidating and..well loud, but he was definitely an ideal team lead, nothing like Crow and his constant struggles with anxiety, he constantly found himself given into the instinct to shy away from social interaction...and while his employers never had an issue with it, Saint has pointed out more than once, he should try to socialize more.

But being around the man's fervent aura was different, it was easy to get ensnared in his words, almost infectious, Crow found himself u inexplicably drawn to the exuberant man.

"Crow, can you handle the drinks? They want Lavender tuxedos biscuits with their order, but the front case is wiped clean of the damn things! I've got to go check if Saint's done with his, I'll only be a tic!"   
The titan informed Crow as he passed by the awoken, all business.

It was the errant beep from the coffee maker that pulled Crow's eyes off the door in which the titan had vanished behind, he could handle this!

Quickly he snatched up the receipt, and huffed in relief as he realised he was familiar with both requested drinks!, Saint had taught him the importance of making a proper radiolariancino and the repercussions of it's unforgiving imbalances couldn't help but find himself in awe that Shaxx had managed to whip the complicated drink up so fast.

Carefully he meticulously dressed the neon pink drink with a light dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of lemon spritz, before turning to add a swirl of heavy creamer to the black Ristretto.

It smelled ...strong..very strong much stronger than Saint or Osiris would have brewed it, but Saint once told him everyone's coffee was different, and Shaxx's coffee without a doubt screamed the very core of the man..so it didn't stop him from donning the cups with a spill proof lids and wrapping them with small cardboard cup holders.

Fretfully Crow went over the list a second, if only to ensure he wouldn't accidentally forget something or screw something up like he possessed a knack for doing more often than not, Shaxx would return any minute with the biscuits, but it doesn't mean the customer can't enjoy his drinks whilst he waits.

"Gryphon-11! Oh!, Your um, your order is ready" Crow called over the counter only to fluster as he realized the exo had only drifted a few steps from the counter to browse the tarts within the glass case, and there was no real requirement to call the tall exo.

Gryphon-11 didn't seem to even mind as he eagerly rushed to relieve the awoken of the drinks, ogling his and Shaxx's work with open awe.

"Thank you, Oh wow these smell great! never seen it this color before!, it looks so fancy!" The tall exo gushed, Crow felt his heart flutter as the exo unknowingly praised the nervous man.

"Your biscuits will be delivered to your table shortly, we are currently pulling a fresh batch, please enjoy your drinks while you wait, it shouldn't be long." His words sounded stiff and much too formal in his own paranoid ears, but the exo didn't seem to mind, instead he fixed the awoken male with a small smile that could break a god's heart, leaning forward to whisper "Relax, your doing great sweetheart" before leaving the man with a mischievous parting wink.

Afraid his flush face would soon become with how fast his heart was beating, crow ducked his respectively, before using every ounce of power in his body to calmly walk into the back, and not run like the coward he knew himself to be.

Once safely obscured the awoken took a moment to breathe, it was awkward but Crow has to admit it went better than he initially expected.

Still Serving people can't be this hard...

No, no, at least he had managed to fulfil his task, the customer was served and more importantly pleased with their purchase, he should be feeling proud of himself right now. Yes! That's exactly what he'd focus on! Today was a win for Crow!

* * *

_**Saint-14** _

"You weren't really going to let him drink that vile concoction were you? It's obviously ill balanced." 

Osiris inquires curiously as the older warlock drifted to a stop beside the thwarted Exo, his fingers lightly ghosting over the Exo's 'Kiss the barista' embroidered apron, it was a passing brush but Saint recognized the endearment in even the fleeting yet deliberate of touches.

"If he would drink it, then yes, one does not learn to avoid what they have little fear of, we must know what not to give guests." The Exo admitted shamelessly, while wrapping the now decorated biscuits in plastic wrap to set, before he turned to start picking at Osiris's Feather shawl, he was very fond of it, yet he still wished the warlock would start dressing warmer, especially in this weather..

"He won't forgive you, I'm sure you're aware of that.." The Warlock pointed out incredulously as he crossed his arms, always stating the obvious despite how obvious it was.. one of the many things Saint-14 loved about the man.

"He will only lose taste for few hours, I will help him get it back, and after he will forgive me" Saint snorts with mischievous dismissal, instead turning fully to quickly snatch up the warlock before the flighty man could flee his grasp.

"It won't happen like that, and you and I both know it."

Osiris snorts, he could practically hear the warlock rolling his eyes through his unimpressed tone, all the while he was lightly plucking at his husband's arms as the titan dragged him back against his unyielding frame, he always gets fussy about getting touchy on the clock, but his half assed attempts to dislodge Saint's hands from his waist are clear signs the warlock has no real issue with his predicament, and is exactly where he wants to be, he's simply fussing just to fuss.

"I like to think he will."

Saint chuckled, his deep voice filled with conspiracy as he spoke in his husband's ear, mischief glinting in his bright lavender optics as he stared down into the eyes of his increasingly red husband a second before surrendering to the urge to guide his chin up into a kiss.

"Not a day goes by that I don't suspect that I somehow married the devil" The flustered warlock muttered amusedly against the warm steel of his husband's mouth plates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dono i adored Gryphon-11, i wish he appeared again in the game or lore TAT
> 
> Also yes the only reason crows not fired is because hes been adopted by this couple and hasn't realized it yet.

**Author's Note:**

> What Rasputin a good dad? Sue mee!  
> I 100% intend to have a power family dynamic they all try the best they can! Because healthy family relationships are bamf! Fite me also  
> I didnt realize i liked the exo stranger so much i 100% ship her as Felwinter's unoffical sister.and nanny 😳👌


End file.
